It's a Funny World We Live In
by DefineTheLine
Summary: My take on the origin of The Joker and how he got those scars. Jack, a struggling comedian, will cope with the corrupt underworld of Gotham and prove that one really bad day can push a man over the edge. Chapters 3 & 4 now up!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own The Dark Knight, any of its characters, or DC comics. But I wish I did.

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Prologue

The blood ran, ruby red, dripping from my chin in a steady stream. It fell into the sink below, diluted by the dirty water, swirling into the drain with painful calmness. What would happen to it? Would it just fade away in some dank sewer? I couldn't help but wonder, even as the sides of my mouth stung with pain.

I looked up and stared into the mirror in front of me, greeted by a pair of dark, sunken eyes. Bags that looked like bruises had formed under them, probably from my lack of sleep. Or maybe from other reasons. Was it anger? Despair? Probably both, I thought. You see, I had had a bad day. A _really_ bad day.

I tore my gaze from the mirror and tried to distract myself from the haunting eyes. Walking to the other side of the small bathroom, I stared out of the grimy window to the scene below. Sprawling masses of nothingness spread throughout the landscape, in the town that was the epitome of "urban decay." A police siren wailed in the distance, invisible through the cloud of smoke that permanently clouded this part of the city.

I chuckled to myself, thinking about all the worthless souls that inhabited the tenements surrounding me. I thought of their mundane lives, their useless jobs, and their futile attempts to entertain themselves. I thought of _monotony_. Living every day exactly the same as the one before, until you die and no one remembers that you were even there.

Slowly I turned my back to the window and went back to the sink. I leaned heavily on it, letting fatigue get the best of me. An overwhelming sense of misery had swept over me, but I pushed it aside with sigh. _There is no more room left inside of me for emotions like that_, I thought to myself. _That was the old me. The human me. _What had I become now? A former shell of my old self? I had been so full of youth and happiness, always laughing, always smiling.

Smiling…the word bounced around my mind, almost tauntingly. It was funny how I had thought that, especially tonight. Then again, it's a funny world we live in. A messed up, sadistic, yet funny world.

I closed my eyes for a moment as the thought burned itself into my brain, leaving a scar. I looked into the mirror again but did not see the somber eyes, oh no. What I saw was much more reassuring. It was a smile. A freshly-stitched, still bleeding, smile. Suddenly I couldn't hold it in anymore. It started off as giggling, but became louder and louder until I was cackling like a content witch. My new smile burned with pain, but that just made me laugh even harder. I punched the mirror, sending pieces of shattered glass all over the bloodstained floor. I charged out of the apartment in an almost hilariously frantic dash. Still laughing, I ran down the dimly lit stairs into a dirty foyer, and out into the abysmal night.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own The Joker, The Dark Knight, or DC in any way. But it would be sweet if i did :)

Author's Note: Jack's girlfriend is named Anna, but she has nothing to do with Anna Ramirez from the GCPD. I just liked the name "Anna."

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Chapter One

"Jack! Wait up, silly!"

I turned around to see Anna jogging up the path towards me. I smiled at her and replied "You're gonna have to do better than that! Hurry up, slowpoke!" I chuckled as she caught me and we both fell on to the rolling lawn of the park.

We were truly in love back then, intertwined in a world we were not quite ready for. On that particular summer day, we had gone for a stroll in the park which quickly turned into a game of tag. Laying next to each other in the soft grass, I stroked her long, brown hair as she found animals in the clouds.

"Look! Do you see it? That's definitely an elephant." I smiled as I saw a shapeless cloud that resembled a cotton ball rather than an elephant. "Yeah, I see it," I replied. I turned my head to stare at my girlfriend, forgetting the world around me. She had striking hazel eyes that could stare right through a person. Her flowing wavy hair surrounded her head like a halo, complimenting her olive skin.

She caught me staring at her, and asked me "What?" with her bright eyes sparkling. "Well, I figured who needs clouds when the real beauty is right here?" I answered. "Oh Jack, don't be such a joker!" "Sorry, I can't help it."

With that, I leaned in and softly kissed her, not caring about the gaping old woman sitting on a bench across the path. Anna giggled mid-kiss and broke into a wide grin. "Well, someone's feeling romantic today, isn't he?" she asked in mock surprise. I smiled back and said, "Yeah, I wonder who?" Anna laughed and ran her fingers through my frizzy hair, sighing contently.

Things were simpler back then. Anna and I had just moved into a small apartment in the Narrows together. It wasn't huge, but we called it home. She had a job as a secretary in a law firm and I worked at a factory. We were able to support ourselves, and we even had enough money left to occasionally go see a movie or eat out at a nice restaurant. But most important of all, we were happy. Thoughts of Anna kept me going though tiring days of work. I was relieved to know that I was able to go home to find her smiling at me, and making her laugh. That was what I loved the best. Her laugh was clear and pure, and never fake.

Making people laugh was a talent I had ever since I was a little kid telling jokes to my friends in the streets. On weekends, I went to the local comedy club to listen to the comics' routines and sometimes even perform some of my own. Becoming a comedian was what I really wanted, and the factory was just a temporary job to gain some money. Back then, I was a dreamer. I always had my head in the clouds, thinking of the future. Anna was the one who would reach up and pull me back down to earth.

One Sunday afternoon, Anna and I were laying in our bed, lazily letting time drag and the rest of the world hurry by. The phone rang, interrupting our silent bliss. With a groan, I mumbled "I'll get it" and rolled out of bed. I picked up the old phone in our crowded living room and managed to say, "Hullo?"

"Jack? Hi, this is Marty." Marty was my boss over at the factory. He was a short, chubby man who was balding and always had a cigar in his mouth.

"Marty? Yeah, what can I do for you?"

"Well Jack, I have some bad news. You see, since our company was taken over by Wayne Enterprises last month, we've had to lay off a…few people."

I knew this was a lie. Wayne Enterprises had fired about three-quarters of the factory's staff, causing hundreds of workers to lose their jobs.

"I'm really sorry to tell you this," Marty continued, "but we have to let you go. You can stop by tomorrow to empty out your locker."

I grew pale with nervousness. I knew that this would eventually come, but I didn't tell Anna so she wouldn't worry. I almost didn't expect it myself.

"Uh, sure, Marty," I stammered.

"Jack, again, I really regret this. You're a great kid. See you tomorrow."

Marty hung up, leaving me listening to the dial tone for minute or two. Finally, I put the phone back in its cradle and marched back to the bedroom.

"What's wrong?" Anna asked, detecting the nervous look on my face.

"Oh, it's nothing big," I replied. "That was my boss. He, um, he had to lay me off." I sat on the edge of the mattress, my back facing Anna.

"Oh no, Jack," she said as she crawled towards me. She draped her arms around my shoulders and asked, "What will we do now? My salary from the law firm isn't enough to pay the rent."

I turned around to face her. Placing my hand on her cheek, I told her, "Don't you worry. I'm gonna find a new job in no time." Too bad that never came true.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own nor am affiliated with DC, The Joker, or The Dark Knight.

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Chapter Two

The car door slammed behind me as I stepped onto the hard asphalt of the parking lot. Squinting in the twilight glow of the sun, I started to walk towards the looming factory building. Far off in the distance, the sun started to set behind the towering skyscrapers of Gotham. It was like a scene from a fairytale, each tower glowing and shining.

I quickly discerned one tower from the rest, the tallest and most elegant. Wayne Enterprises. _If not for the corporate bastards at that place, none of this would've happened_, I thought to myself. Angered, I continued walking, my eyes staring holes into the ground.

Finally, I reached the heavy doors and pulled them open. I hurried down the dim hallway, avoiding any passing workers. I was in no mood for human contact. I almost flew down a flight of stairs into the locker room, hastily locating mine. There was not much to empty out, but I had figured that if I was going to be fired, might as well go out the right way. I never fully realized how empty my locker really was until I removed some old clothes, a stained pair of boots, and a picture of Anna hanging on the door. I stepped back with a sigh; it looked like I had never even worked there.

On the way out, I ran into Marty.

"Jackie boy, how're you holding up?"

I winced at the embarrassing nickname, answering, "I'll be fine, Marty. What's gonna happen to the company now?"

"Honestly, I don't know." Marty stepped closer, and said in a hushed voice, "But between you and me, I've heard some…_rumors_."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Well, for starters, I heard that some of Falcone's men have infiltrated Wayne Enterprises. There's some rumors that he's gonna use this here factory as a base."

Carmine Falcone was the Don of the largest organized crime family in Gotham, and not a man to fool around with. I didn't doubt what Marty had said, because everything suddenly added up. _No wonder why so many people were laid off! Falcone's men must have convinced someone at Wayne Enterprises to do it,_ I thought. _Plus, the factory is in the city limits, nobody would think to look for Carmine Falcone here._

"Wow, Marty, that's some real serious news. What will you do if Falcone really does come here?"

"SHH! Keep your voice down!" Marty chastised, looking exasperated.

"Sorry," I apologized.

"Well," he continued, "I'll have to do the only thing I can. Just accept it. Falcone's a real piece of work, but still not someone I'll mess with anytime soon."

"Well, good luck, Marty."

"Yeah, same to you, Jackie boy."

With a forced smile, I shook his sweaty hand. "I'll be seeing you around."

"Take care, Jack."

With that, I walked out the door without looking back.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: You know the deal. I don't own The Dark Knight, the Joker, or DC Comics.

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Chapter 3

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. I had been searching for a new job for what seemed like forever. The living room was swallowed in a tidal wave of classified ads and phone numbers, none of which were any use. Sure, I had been on a few interviews, but never received that precious call back from the employers. It didn't help that I was a college dropout, but then again, who wasn't in the Narrows?

I could tell that Anna was taking it hard. She lost the once angelic glow that radiated from her skin, and her smile was not the same. I had come to known Anna's smile, since so many times its cause was me. Now, it was strained and brief instead of the natural and vivacious grin that I loved. We lived on only her salary, which just barely paid our rent. She also started working overtime at the law firm, something that I never saw her do before. I can tell you, it killed me inside to see Anna worry like that. Every day, I would look into her eyes and promise her, "Tomorrow is another day, and that'll be the day I find the job I'm looking for." She answered me with her new, strained smile that seemed to mock me. "I know, Jack, I know. Tomorrow will be the day." That's what Anna said, but not her smile. It grimaced at me like an unforgiving opponent, saying "You let me down, Jack." But I was not deterred. Even though my desperate search proved worthless, I never wavered.

On the other hand, all the free time I had now let me work on a stand-up routine. Since I lost my job at the factory, I'd been going to the comedy club more and more, scrounging up as many tips as I could. But the same routine night after night became pretty tiring, so I tried to come up with some new material. All I had managed to do was cross out page after page in my notepad. One night, pen in mouth, I had lost track of time. I was so engrossed in my puns and gags that I didn't notice when the lock turned in the apartment door. Anna was home, and she had thought I was searching for a job all day. Hastily I tried to hide the book but it was too late.

She stepped into the living room with a sigh. Bags had started to form under her eyes. "Hey, baby. Whatcha got there?" She stepped over to the table littered in crumpled paper and picked up the notebook, skimming a few pages. I saw the visible look of anguish that came over her already tired face. "Jack, what the hell is this?! You promised me that today you would finally find a job!" She stepped back, hands on her head, with her pocketbook still dangling from her arm like an extra appendage.

"Listen, Anna, I can explain. See, I can become a full time comedian! It's what I always dreamed of, and pretty soon I could start performing at clubs besides the crappy one we have here. This can be my job now!" I stood up with a hopeful look on my face and waited for Anna to answer.

"A _comedian_?! No, Jack! Life isn't a big joke! You think I wanna bust my ass at work so you can sit here and think of new jokes? You need a real job!" I couldn't believe that she had shot down my idea so quickly! Now I started to get angry.

"A real job? This is my dream! I sure as hell don't wanna work in another shit-hole like the factory! Tell me, do you wanna be a secretary for the rest of your life?"

"Jack, that has— "

"DO YOU?!"

"NO!," she yelled. "No! There, I said it. I had dreams too, Jack. But there's no time for dreams! We have to support ourselves, pay rent, taxes…if everybody just went out and followed their fucking _dreams_, nobody would be able to live!"

Anna finally dropped the dangling pocketbook and sank to the floor with it, sitting with her back against the wall. "You have to give up these _dreams_ you have, 'cause let me tell you, they're not gonna come true. I mean, we cant keep living like this! We can barely pay rent!" I stared daggers at her for what seemed like an eternity. I couldn't believe that Anna, the girl I loved, was being so unsupportive. It made my blood boil like nothing else.

Dangerously calm, I looked straight at her and said, "Let me make one thing clear. I will do what I want, and what I want is to be a comedian. So, even if it kills me, I'll be one fucking amazing comedian." With that I stormed across the living room and left the apartment behind.

Anna followed me into the hallway, standing halfway through the door. "Where are you going?!" she hissed.

"Out. I'll be back later. I can't deal with this shit right now." Anna looked taken aback, but soon flashed me a look of pure rage.

"Oh, Jack, you really _are_ an amazing comedian, 'cause you must be fucking joking. You can't just run away and expect things to get better!"

"Oh yeah?" I retorted. "WATCH ME!" I spun around and stomped down the stairs, hearing Anna's surprised gasp behind me.

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A/N: Sorry for the wait for Chapter 3! I had an intense case of writer's block. Please read & review!


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, I don't own anything like The Dark Knight, The Joker, or DC Comics.

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Chapter Four

Huffing and puffing, I stomped down the street, hands shoved deep in my pockets. _What did she know? _I thought. _I know that I can pull this off. Hell, at least I have dreams._ After walking for a couple blocks, I cooled down a little and started to notice my surroundings. The Narrows was a scary place during the day, but at night…at night, its true colors shone.

Graffiti which was vibrant in the sunlight suddenly became much more sinister. The worn tenements and apartments looked miserable and melancholy, staring down at the occasional passerby in fake suspicion. A maze of alleyways and backstreets crisscrossed throughout the neighborhood, providing either a quick getaway or an unfortunate mugging. And on top of it all, a thick blanket of fog shrouded the whole area, creating a feeling of isolation. I quickened my pace as the adrenaline in my system wore off and a sense of anxiety kicked in.

Suddenly, a choked scream pierced through the night and my heart skipped a beat. _It sounded close_, I thought. Cautiously, I approached the noise, walking faster and faster until I was practically running across the street. The waves of fog parted to reveal an old woman struggling with a hooded man who was attempting to steal her handbag. I had to suppress a laugh as I thought of how much it looked like a child's game of tug of war. I quickly slipped back into reality and nervously approached the scene. I had lived in the Narrows for a couple of years now, which was known for its dangerous streets, but I had never witnessed a mugging before.

"Hey!" I yelled, trying to muster up as much courage as I could. But all that came out sounded like a half-hearted squeak. _Fuck_, I thought. The mugger paused and turned to stare at me.

"What the fuck do _you _want? Get lost!"

He walked up to me, casting the old woman away as if she was a rag doll. The man was tall and burly, with a weathered face and an expression that was anything but friendly.

"Leave her alone, ok? She's just an old woman!"

"Yeah? What are you trying to say, asshole?" He shoved me, with much more force than I thought necessary, and I landed in the street. "Why don't I just carve you up nice and neat and feed you to the dogs, hm?" He pulled out a switch blade from the pocket of his black hoodie and clicked it open. The blade shone radiantly in the moonlight and I couldn't help but admire its sinister beauty.

The robber bent down to grab me, grinning maliciously as he raised the knife, getting ready to strike. My heartbeat quickened and I broke out into a cold sweat. All I could think of was Anna, and how her last memory of me would be the fight. How could I have been so stupid? I tightly shut my eyes and waited to feel the striking pain of the blade. But nothing happened. The mugger's grip on my collar actually loosened.

I slowly opened one eye to see what was happening. I was surprised to see that the man's face was no longer fixed on me, but on the roof of the apartment block opposite us. His face was pallid and he seemed to be paralyzed by fear. The knife still twinkled menacingly in his right hand, which did not move. I cautiously turned around to see what the source of his terror was, and saw…him.

Standing on the roof, brilliantly illuminated by the moon, was the Batman. He was an imposing figure, black and sleek like an exotic jaguar, with his cape spread out behind him like the wings of a demon. I soon became transfixed by his intimidating stare and almost forgot that I was about to be cut to bits. Then, in a voice that seemed to shake the earth itself, the creature of the night uttered, "Let him go." The mugger suddenly came out of his trance and quickly dropped me to the floor. He slowly backed away, still staring at the Batman, and dropped the woman's purse in the process. Then he broke out to a full sprint into a dark alley.

I was still in shock as I got up from the dirty street, feeling a dull pain in my tailbone. I gazed back to the roof, but the Batman was gone. It was almost as if the night itself swallowed him up in a cloak of darkness. I walked over to the woman, who was sprawled across the ground in a pile of garbage bags. She was moving, a sign that she was still alive. Picking up her precious purse, I approached her and held it out.

"Ma'am, your purse," I weakly muttered. Then, with surprising agility, she sprung up from her makeshift mattress and snatched the purse away from me, kicking me hard in the shin.

"Don't touch my stuff you good for nothing hooligan!" She rapidly vanished into an alley as I stood hopping on one foot.

"Fuck!" I cursed through clenched teeth. _This is it, _I thought. _This is what happens when someone tries to be nice for once and gets fucked over for it._ I had a small epiphany that night in the street. For the first time in my life, I had become what I hated: cynical. What was wrong with humanity? Why do people act the way they do, just putting up with so much shit from others? I decided, right then and there, that I would be different. I would not give in to the conformity of human error.

"Fuck it. Fuck it all," I chuckled, as I started the trek back home. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something glistening on the sidewalk. It was the mugger's knife, left unattended on the ground. I bent down and scooped it up, examining it in the weak light of the moon. It was not that big, but I could tell that it was lethal. The blade was wide and sharp, almost enticing me to use it. Smiling mischievously, I slipped it into my back pocket. _This may come in handy one day,_ I thought. _Who knows, I may be the next victim of a mugging. _Plus, I loved the way it felt in my palm, but I did not want to admit that to myself.

I continued walking back to my apartment to face something more terrifying than any mugger or the Batman himself: the wrath of Anna. "Hell hath no fury like a woman, hm?" I giggled to myself as the sun rose over the polluted sky.


End file.
